Oil-burning apparatus



June 2, 1925.

' 1,540,675 F. B. AUSTIN OIL BURNING APPARATUS File'd May 6, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 2, 1325,

FRANK B. AUSiTIN, 0F ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

OIL-BURNING APPARATUS.

Application filed May a,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK B. AUSTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Burning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. 0 o

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of oil-burning apparatus; and has for its object to provide an apparatus of this character which is adapted to spray, vaporize, or atomizh hydrocarbon oil and force it after being ignited as fuel, into the furnace.

A further object of this invention is to provide a thermostatically controlled motor for automatically starting and stopping the action of the oil by atomizing, spraying or vaporizing mechanism at predetermined low and high temperatures at the thermostat.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a float chamber for automatically preventing the overflow of oil if, for any reason, the blaze is extinguished.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will bemore fully described, and particularly pointed out in the ap ended claims.

n the accom anying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of afurnace showing my improved apparatus as applied thereto. I

Figure 2 is an. enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 isa top View showing a portion of the furnace in section with my apparatus attached thereto. I

Figure 4 is a side elevationshowing a portion of my improved apparatus as applied to a furnace, a portion of which is shown in section.

Fi ure 5 is a detail perspective view showing t e atomizing member of my improved oil-burning apparatus.

It is found in the practical operation of oil-burning apparatus for furnaces, of advantage to vaporize, spray or atomize oil as fuel by a fluid pressure of water steam or hot air, to blow the oil, upon being ignited, by the force of the steam or air, into the furnace to heat the same, also to provide auxiliary means for heating a supply of water to generate steam pressure for starting the oil-feeding action. It is also found 19%. Serial Ito. 711,498.

of advantage to provide a thermal unit for controlling the action of a motor which in turn controlls the action of the auxiliary steam generating unit and also the supply of water by the changes of temperature in the zone or room where this thermostat is located; and the. following is a detailed description of one construction or arrangement of a paratus by which these advantageous resu ts may be accomplished With reference to the drawings, 10 designates an atomizing. unit which is connected in my apparatus, the same comprising an oil jet nozzle 11 and a cooperating steam jet nozzle 12, the oil jet being supplied from the main tank 13 whichis preferably located outside of the cellar wall 14, through pipe 15, vacuum tank 16. pipe 17, float tank 18 and pipe 19 through the passageway 20. The float tank is provided with a float 21 having "a central tube 22 which includes a fixed supply tube 23 within which is mounted a valve 24 having a stem 25, the upper end of which is connected to the tube 22 whereby when the level of the oil rises to a plane just below the upper end of the oil nozzle this float through the valve stem, closes the valve 24 and shuts off further oil supply to the float chamber through inlet holes 26.

lln order to generate steam with which to operate the atomizers, I have located a steam-generating chamber 27 in the furnace, which is supplied with water from any convenient source, through pipe 28, which is provided with a hand shut-off valve 29 and an automatically operated shut-ofl valve 30 having an operating lever 44.

This generator is preferably filled with asbestos so as to break up the body of water therein and cause it to be more readily heated and converted into steam.

From the top of this generator, steam is led through pipe 31 to the auxiliary steam generating drum 32 which is preferably in the shape of a thin drum or hollow plate and thence through pipe 33, control valve 34- into the atomizing unit 10 and out through the jet nozzle 12 to blow across the oil nozzle and lift the oil therefrom and blow it after being ignited primarily from'the pilot light 41 through the tube 42 into the furnace.

This steam drum 32 is herein shown as being arranged to be heated by a gas burner 35, which is supplied with as through pipe 36 and automatically-contr led valve 37, the latter having an operating arm 43, so that cally through wires 47 to a crankmember 48 which is arranged to be rotated through an electrically-controlled motor (not shown) in the cabinet 49, so that when the temperature drops to a predetermined degree at the thermostat 45 an electrical connection is made through the wires 47 to start the motor in the cabinet, which then rotates a crank arm 48 from down position shown in full lines, to the up position illustrated at 50, in dotted lines, which action through the connecting chain 51 opens the gas valve and permits the gas to flow to the auxiliary heater and also simultaneously, through chain 52 opens the Water control valve 30 to admit water to the generator 27 through pipe 28 and as this water slowly works around back through pipe 31 the steam drum 32 has time to get very hot and consequently the water is at once changed to steam and the steam passes out under pressure through pipe 33 to act through jet nozzle 12 to raise and vaporize the oil and force the same in the form of spray. into the fire-pot, after I having been ignited, thus causing the water in the generator 27 to be raised to generate a pressure, which flows back as steam through pipe 31 and through the steam drum 32 around the jet nozzle 12 making a continuous cycle until the heat in the furnace is generated to a suflicient degree to raise the temperature at the thermostat, which will again act to close the electric circuit through wires 47 and rotate the motor (not shown) in the cabinet 49 to again revolve the crank arm 48 another half turn back to full-line position, see Figure 1, thereby again dropping the arms 43 and 44 to shut off the flow of gas to the auxiliary burner 35, and water to the generator 27,

which valves Will stay closed until the temperature again drops at the thermostat, which will cause it to again act and repeat the cycle of operations above described, which is that of first turning'on the heat until the temperature is raised the desired amount and then turning it off. However the burner will operate for a short time after the water is shut off, owing to the water and steam in the generator and pipes, and thus will drive out all of the water from the generator and the heat from the fire pot will so dry the parts that rusting is prevented. However, a non-rustable metal may be employed if desired.

. In some instances, it.is found of advantage to shut off the supply to the auxiliary gas burner 35 which is generating heat in the steam drum after the steam is being generated by the generator 27 inthe furnace; and to accomplish this ina simple and effective way, I have provided an auxiliary generator 53 in the furnace which is supplied b a pipe (not shown) with Water and when tie temperature is raised a sufiicient amount in this generator, steam is conducted therefrom to pipe 54 to the cylinder 55 in which is mounted a piston 56, the rod 57 of which is arranged to act upon the valve arm 43 to lift it from its open position at a up to its raised or closed position at b where this lever 43 is thus held to shut off the gas flow to the auxiliary heater so lon as there is sufficient steam pressure in t e auxiliary generator to hold the piston 56 in its upposition.

When the temperature in the furnace has dropped so that the steam in this auxiliary generator 53 is reduced sufficiently this pis-.

ton 56 will return under action of the spring 58 therein and will permit the valve lever 43 to drop to its normal closed position, as shown in full lines in Figure 2, until it is again acted upon and raised by the crank arm 48 to open position to again start the vaporizing and heating action.

Where the lighter oil such as kerosene or the like is employed for fuel, I preferably place the main supply" tank outside of the Wall of the cellar and locate a vacuum tank as at 16 in the main supply pipe and connect this vacuum tank through pipe 57- to the atomizer member 10, to assist in drawing oil from the main tank by vacuum action.

In some cases, I mount the oil supply jet 1', nozzle 11 on a rotating shaft 60, which shaft lis connected through an arm 61 and chain 62 to the lever 63 which is. operated through the diaphragm in thejcasing 64 in the furnace, whereby When a predetermined amount of heat is generated therein this diaphragm acts to raise the arm 6l'through chain 62 and lever 63 rotating the jet nozzle 12 out of its normal operating position so that further steam emitted from nozzle 12 will cease to draw oil from the nozzle 11.

I do not wish to be restricted to the burning of light grade oils in this improved apparatus as the same may, with slight changes, be adapted to burn the heavier or crude oils if desired. Neither do I wish to be restricted to the primary heating of'the water in the steam drum by gas, as insome instances, any other suitable heating device may be applied to the drum, if desired, for generating steam therein.

y improved heating device is very practical in construction and effective in its operation and by its use the generated heat maybe nicely controlled and the heat, at

ature.

lhe foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire itto'be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I;claim:

1. In an oil burning apparatus, an oil supply nozzle, a steam generator in the furnace positioned to be heated by the combustion of the oil, an auxiliary steam gener-- mally controlled means for initially starting the auxiliary heating member and the supply .of water to saidgenerators upon a predetermined low temperature.

2. In an oil burning apparatus, an oil supply nozzle, a steam generator in the furnace positioned to *be heated by the combustion of the oil, an auxiliary steam generator, an auxiliary heating member therefor, a steam jet nozzle communicating with both of said generators and arranged'to direct the steam generated in either of said generators to lift and spray the oil from said oil nozzle into the furnace, a pipe for supplying water to both of said generators and thermally controlled means for initially starting the auxiliary heating member and the supply of Water to said generators upon a predetermined low temperature, means for rendering inactive the auxiliary heating member, and said thermally controlled means also generating chamber in the furnace, a Water supply therefor, an auxiliary steam generating chamber, a conduit leading from said first chamber through said auxiliary chamber to said steam nozzle, means for heating said auxiliary chamber, a thermostat located at a remote point, and means actuated by said thermostat for controlling said Water supply, and said heating means.

5. In an oil burning apparatus, a furnace,

an oil jet nozzle, means for maintaining oil at a predetermined level therein, a steam nozzle for passing steam over said o-il nozzle, a main steam generating chamber in said furnace, a Water supply therefor, an auxiliary steam generating chamber, a conduit leading from said main chamber through said auxiliary chamber to said steam nozzle, means for heating said auxiliary chamber to initially generate steamtherein, a thermostat located at a remote point, means actuated by said thermostat to control said water supply and heating means to initially generated in the furnace for shutting 0d the acting to shut off the water supply at a predetermined high temperature.

3. In an .oil burning apparatus, an oil supply nozzle, steam generator in the furnace positioned to be heated by the combustion of the oil, an auxiliary steam generator, an auxiliary heating member there for, a steam jet nozzle communicating with both of said generators and arranged to direct the steam generated in either of said generators to lift and spray the oil from said oil nozzle into the furnace, a pipe for supplying water to both of said generators and thermally controlled means for initially starting the auxiliary heating member and the supply of Water to said generators upon a predetermined low temperature, means independent of the thermally controlled means for rendering inactive the auxiliary heating member. and said thermally controlled means also acting to shut off the water supply at a predetermined high temperature.

4. In an oil burning apparatus, a furnace, an oil jet nozzle, a steam nozzle, a steam heat from tlie auxiliary steam generator when a suitable pressure is generated in the main steam generating chamber.

6. In an oil burning apparatus, a furnace, cooperating oil supply and steam nozzles, a main steam generator in said furnace, an auxiliary steam generator for supplying steam to said steam nozzle to atomize the oil, a heating member for said auxiliary generator, and means controlled by the heat generated in the furnace for rendering inactive said heating member when a suitable pressure of steam is generated in the main steam generator,

7; In an oil burning apparatus, a furnace, a main steam generator therein an oil jet nozzle, a steam jet nozzle for directing the steam to spray the oil from the oil nozzle when ignited into the furnace, an auxiliary steam generator heated independently of the furnace, means for supplying the steam nozzle primarily from the auxiliary generator and subsequently from the main generator when the latter becomes heated,

8. In an oil burning'apparatus, a furnace, a main steam generator therein, an oil jet nozzle, a steam jet nozzle for directing steam pressure to spray the oil from the oil nozzle when ignited into the furnace, an auxiliary steam generator, an independent heater therefor, means for, supplying the steam nozzle primarily from the auxiliary generator and subsequently from the main generator, and means for extinguishing said independent heater when the heat in the furnace is suficient to generate an operating 4 9. In an oil burning apparatus, a furnace, generator, and automatically actuated means cooperating oil supply and steam nozzles, a' for causing said heating member to heat its main steam generator in said furnace, an generator prior to admitting the water 10 auxiliary steam generator for supplying thereto.

5 steam to said steam nozzle to atomize the In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

oil, means for supplying water to said generators, a heating membenfor said auxiliary FRANK B. AUSTIN 

